Felted playscape

I've been admiring felted playscapes I've seen on other blogs like
this at Childhood Magic.

When I scored some purple wool felt in the ends bin, I just knew it would serve as the base.


It was nice to bring the items we've been collecting for our nature bowl into the playscape. I had this in mind when we collected them. We have some shells from Florida as well as the little seeds. They came from the palm trees at the marina. Then the felted stones, bunny and gnome.
For the garden colour, I carded a few different colours of roving with the raw sheep's wool to get that dirt look.


The cave started as the body of the bunny (Hopper) pictured in the scene, but I didn't wind it tight enough and it felt hollow. A few needle pokes and Voila, it became a cave. There's a little rubber frog they have that lives in the cave. He must have jumped out as I was transporting the scene.


Looking at this mat brings me the warm fuzzies. The kids and I were outside needle felting, singing and playing with playdo. We got cold, so put on some sweaters. A little later, we all gave in and decided to come inside as our hands were freezing. They continued to direct my felting to what they wanted the playscape to have. There is a big spot on top that is awaiting a mushroom house. It will hold the gnomes and other friends


Rafael has started the water on his playscape. We've broken 5 needles. I got more, but need to get a better sponge. I think that's why they broke. More to come on this project...
thanks for looking,
Amanda

ruffle clutch

Here's the clutch that's been in my head. I happy with it, I have many more ideas to alter it a little here and there. So more to come.


Easy to make. I've been losing my little cork clutch from Portugal far too many times. I figure, if I use this clutch with a place to hook on my keys, I'm sure to have it with me..... yes? no?

With a matching clip of course... to come.

Peek a boo zipper. Had fun letting the kids find the zipper.

And here is the back. I had planned to line the clutch with the skull fabric, but couldn't figure out how to do it at time of sewing. I also measured the back piece incorrectly, so I added a new strip with the contrasting fabric as if I had meant it to be that way. of course. As I always say, "There are no mistakes, just opportunities for embellishment."


I think this design is all my own. (as in, it popped in my head while I wasn't looking at other people's work) I'm sure there are similar ones to it. But this is a base for many variances. Think I'll go play with that now...
thanks for looking,
Amanda

sewing machine love

Hi there,
nothing to show you at the moment. But I have lovely news. I finally put my sewing machine in the shop. I've been borrowing my uncle's since October. (thanks a bunch) I had his tuned and fixed up and figured mine would be very expensive as it would only sew straight stitch. it wouldn't make a zigzag or anything else. And the tension was all wrong in the bobbin. Anyhow. Put mine in, it was cheaper than expected and I am happy to try it out tonight.

I'm working on adding trims to dance recital costumes. Neve is in a dance studio that is doing Wizard of Oz. So I volunteered to do some sewing. I'm in the land of green, fringe and sequins at the moment. But first, I must try to sew a clutch that is living in my head, screaming to come out. Let's hope it will look like I want it to....
cheers,
Amanda

Princess and the pea playset

First off, apologies for the poor photos. I took them in the back of the car while waiting for DH to come rescue me. More on that later.
Here is the princess and the Pea playset I got from the More Softies book. oops, the bag and tag I made for it....

Here it is with the mattresses and the pea.

And the princess. My goal was to give it with the book, but I didn't get out to look for one.

I will probably make up a few more of these sets and buy the books, but I think I will do the doll differently to make some string arms and legs. And not iron the mattresses after I line them with batting. it squishes the batting down to a non-fluffy mattress.

K, the car story. After church, I rush to the sailing club to pick up Rafael to take him to the bday party, get to the party, watch the pretty people play volleyball outside the building as I drive into the parking lot. On the high side of the sidewalk. Not the indented side for driving over. BANG!!! All the pretty people look over as I spin my tires to continue over the high part of the sidewalk. DRRAAAGGGG. I hear the scrape over the driveway. Get out, look under the car, don't see anything hanging. Take son into the party. As I come out, I notice something hanging from the front end of the car. Upon further inspection, it's a cover that is half off. The other half is screwed in real tight. I can't budge it. Then I notice the cover behind it is also looking a little crumpled. So I did what any damsel in distress would do. Called hubby to come. He came and took them off and I was on my way with only 1 hour, instead of 2, to do some damage at Fabricland. And that I did. There was a 40% off sale on almost everything. I didn't even go to the cotton fabric section. Just some tulle, jersey for a spinny dress I have in mind for Neve and found some purple wool felt in the remnant bin. DH thinks I should make a coat for Neve. I see a mat for a felted playset there instead. happy ending. Oh, I asked DH if he was worried when I called and said I had a problem. His response, " Well, how bad could it be? you weren't blubbering over the phone or anything!" God love him. So calm. I informed him that I probably wouldn't blubber. I would probably be yelling instead if it was anything bad. Touch wood, I don't know what I would be like in an unfortunate event.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

1st Communion Card

Oh. Ma. Gursh!!!! I made a card! I made a card! I can't tell you the last time I made a card.


It's for a 1st Communion. Stampin' up stuff. Here's the inside.


A QuicKutz impression plate and a First Communion stamp I bought years ago at a LSS.


And more great news... the sewing machine isn't busted. I was using the wrong bobbin. Thank goodness. It my uncle's machine that I had tuned up in January. I also took my machine in for an overhaul. Waiting for the estimate on that one, but the guy said it was a good machine. Maybe it will be worth the money to fix it. I bought it when I was doing my Masters. Dirt poor student. I bought it on a Sears credit card. How I got that is another story I'll put below. I don't know how much the interest was, but I paid only about 20 bucks a month on it and took me over 2 years to pay for it. How much do you think it really cost me?!!! lol

k, now the story of how I obtained a credit card... I left my home in Newfoundland that summer after finishing my undergrad in Nova Scotia. I had about $600 in my pocket and was on my way to London, Ontario to attend Western University of Ontario. I stopped in Ottawa for a week for a vocal workshop. While in a mall, I was stopped by the credit card lady. I told her I didn't have any address, any bank account or any income. She said to fill out the forms anyway, I could have free steak knives. ohh, I must have been weak. I filled out the form with my parent's address, I'm guessing, took the steak knives and somehow received the credit card. I still use those steak knives. It was worth it. :}

oi, nuff dredging up the past for me. Makes me shiver.

Thanks for looking,
Amanda

more WIP and busted machine!!

It's been days since I've been on here! I've been working on several things, but nothing is getting completed. Mostly due to a tempermental machine. BITES!
So here is the 2nd edition of Works in Progress:
Princess and the Pea play set for my son's classmate. Her party is on Sunday and I need to find the book and finish it. It comes from the More Softies book.


Another Everywhere Tote from Weekend Sewing that was this close to being done, but I took the handles off, now the machine is busted and I wanted to give it to my friend for her bday tomorrow. NOT. Sorry girlfriend. it's on the way.


And I've been working on more crochet flower clips. Colourful for Spring!!


I actually played around this time. Did I come up with a new flower pattern? Or have you seen this one before?


Spring has come early this year. DH is already dreaming of his veggie garden and the kids were having fun looking for worms. Rafael is talking to nanny long distance on the phone, giving a play by play.

Here's a line from DH: " you reap what you sow, plant some vegetables" They taste much better, that's for sure.

Hopefully I'll be back soon,
thanks for looking,
Amanda

it's a what????!!!!!

Remember this little fella from the More Softies book?

Well, here's my version.


I have to tell ya, it was kinda ify while I was making it. No one saw it as an elephant. The best one was my son who guessed a flamingo after i sewed the body together. It wasn't until the eyes that they got it.

But I don't care. It's going in my gift pile for some lucky kid who can love him as much as I do. lol


thanks for looking,
Amanda

for the birds....

Howdy.
I've been chugging along with getting back into the swing of things around here. Mostly laundry and vacuuming. I can't stand a dirty carpet. :}
So looking through my pictures, all I have for you is the little adventure of putting wool on the trees for the birds to make their nests. It is still there. Looking all wet and limp. It's been dreary, cold, wet in the last few days. Looking at these pictures was a nice reminder of the unseasonable temps.

And of course, it makes it so much more fun when you wear costumes. Ariel for Neve and Superman for Rafael.



And superman can do more than help the birdies...

He can help some damsels in distress....

Cheers,
Amanda

easter friends

My 1st project of needle felting with the wool is the bunnies.

It took a few attempts for the body as I wasn't rolling it tight enough. one of the bodies felt hollow inside. Now I know.

I made the egg by wrapping roving around an egg shaped styrofoam form. then added some dots. The egg kind of lost it's shape.


And I also made a few more bunnies from Betz . Rafael stuffed his with the wool and it is firmer than the eco-stuffing made from pop bottles. yes, I'm glad to have this wool gift.


I'm finished 4 days of singing in church. I love the High holy days and the place that the music has in it. But I have to confess, by the last hymn today, I was ready to call it over! Hope to get to bed early tonight. And the kids don't have school tomorrow. A lazy start and maybe a trip to the gym. T-shirt season if here. yippee!!

Hope you had a good one.
Amanda

baa baa brown sheep...

Did I score or what?

A woman at the parenting centre is an avid wool person. (yeah, it was sounding good, but I don't know what you call someone in this field). We got to talking and she brought me a little gift sized bag of wool and her carding brushes. (don't know the proper name for those either.) Because I enjoyed it and she is decluttering, she brought me this huge, I mean huge bag of wool.
This wool on the top has been carded on a drum carder.


I can't remember the name of the sheep. You can see some of the sunburn on the tips. I think it has been washed, but there are still bits of hay and other such stuff in it.


Alas, I'm going to be a good craftsperson and share some of the wealth with a few other moms from the parenting centre who balked at the big bag sitting there and wanted to get their hands on it as much as I did.

Then as I was walking home, my neighbour balked at the big bag. She spins her own wool and gave a great demo for the gaggle of kids that had collected on the sidewalk. Best thing, she's renting a drum carder next week and will share with me and teach me how to use it. So this may be a faster job than anticipated. Rafael spent over 30 minutes carding the wool to use as stuffing in his Betz bunny. I love that he is crafty. hope his future wife does. lol

And lastly, here's a book from the library that has a great section in the front on different needle felting techniques. I think I'll attempt to make a bigger animal with the wool as the sculpture base.


Oh fun times here. Now, if I wasn't spending the next 4 days singing at church.....
Happy Easter.
Amanda